Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-09-11
CATARRH.

rE1HE TERN CATARRH Is APPLIED TO A
Il peculiar disorder of the nOstrils and ad-
jacent parts, which prevails to an alarming
extent, and is productive of very serious
consequences.
The most prominent and characteristic
feature is a morbid discharge from the head
varying i'll its nature at different times.
In some there is an almost constant flow
of clear, aCrid fluid, but oftener an offensive,
purulent or muco-purulent, greenish-yellow
matter is secreted, which accumuates in
the nostrils or drops into the throat, neces-
stating its frequent removal by blowing the
nose or eXpeetoration, and often by both
processes. sometimes patients feel as
though their head was in a state of rotten
ness, so great is the amount of matter dis
charged and so fetid is its odor The pa
tient is greatly annoyed by the constant
dropping into the throat of the MOI hid
matter from the head, and as a recumbent
position naturally favors the flow downward
his rest is frequently disturbed from this
cause. Many sufferers are obliged to lie ith
the head very much elevated in order to
sleep with some degree ot comfort
In others tough, viscid and offensive
phlegm collects behind and above the soft
palate, in the passage between the throat and
head, adhering to the parts with gluish tenac-
1ty. Its lodgment embarrasses respiration
and creates sensation of irritation and un
easiness in the affected locality, which gives
rise to constant and almost irresistible de-
sire to relieve that discomfort by drawing
the mucus into the throat SO as to eject ii by
the mouth. This practice, popularity known
as "hawking,' is characteristic of eatarrh,
and proves as EN- mbarrassing to the one af-
fected as it is disagreeable to those around
him.
Again, the offensive matter hardens and
deposits itself on the membrane in the shape
of dry, hard connections, which are dis
charged by way Of the nostfils or throat in
Jumps or fragments of a deep green tint. In
some cases these incrustations accumulate
to such an extent as to form a regular plug
thn hrnh nhgtr
produce serious discomfort. So firmly do
these incrustations adhere to the point of
attachment that their removal usually re-
quires the most violent efforts; not unfre-
quently they have to be torn from the mem
brane. Occasionally Il solid cast of notable
size is expelled, on which there are gen rally
traces OF blood, but in some cases the cast
presents Il tubular appearance, being of exact
shape OF the nasal cavity. This condition is
indicative OF liberation, which, in time,
may destroy the bony structure of the nose
and produce subsequent fiattcning of that
organ.
Cases are occasionally met with in which
a thick, visCid, Shiny secretion coats the
membrane of the nasal cavities and then
putrefies, giving rise to Il stencil which is
really overpowering, and sufficiently fetid
to poison the atmosphere of whole room:
and there are Others in which all the secre-
tons OF the membrane are suspended, caus-
ing an unpleasant feeling OF dryness, h eat
and feverishness in the head and nose-a
condition popularly known as "Dry
CatarTh."
The disease speedily extends to the air
| cavities OF the bones of the forehead and
face, giving rise to dist essing sensation of
heavy weight or compression over the fore
head, especially in the region above and be-
tween the eyes, and to feeling OF fulness,
heat, irritation, sore ness or pal in the nos
trils near the root of the nose, as well as in
the upper part OF the throat, above and be-
hind the soft palate. Sometimes there is
pain obstinately fixed in some particular
l NJ ,1r a.
| head, at the back of the neck, or behind the
orbits, and, occasionally, pain manifests
itself in the face of so severe a character
that 1t is frequently mistaken for neuralgia.
The breath is always tainted, and at times
| assumes an exceeding fetid and sickening
odor. In some cases it becomes so revolt
1ngly offensive as to render the sufferer an
object of disgust to himself as well as to
Others
The nasal membrane is thickencd and
contested, causing the nose TO be stopped up,
sometimes on one side, sometimes on the
other, and often on both, giving rise to a
disagre cable, stuffy sensation in the head,
and occasioning violent and prolonged
| parOXysms of sneeZing.
The voice is weak, lndistinct and husky.
| or Of nasal character, displaying Il sort of
| smiling quality. Oftentimes there is a con-
tnuous hoarseness and discordance. There
| is also sense of irritation in the part,
| and frequent attempts TO clear the throat of
phlegm, producing the sound chem" more
| or less forcibly. In some cases patients
complain of an uncomfortable feeling of
fullness, or choky sensation in the throat,
| and i'll others of distressing and almost
constant dryness, for the temporary relief OF
which they have toe swallow frequently.
| Others; again, speak of u constant bad or
| nauseous taste in the mouth or throat.
The stomach generally suffers more or less
and becomes weak and irritable: the appe-
| tite is eapricious and nearly always bad in
| the morning. The patient is languid, unable
| to perform mental or physical labor with
| the usual facility, is nervous depressed in
| spirits, at times fearful timid, agitated and
| inclined to drowsiness and sleep, the mem-
| ory weakened and permanent impairment
| seriously threatened.
The mucous membrane soon becomes
morbidly sensitive to unfavorable intlu-
enccs, and in spite of the utmost care be-
| comes affected from the slightest causes, so
that at last breath of wind upon the lining
| OF the nose or throat becomes productive ot
| cold, and gives rise to serious disturbances
of the respiratory organs. Thus the patient
| is subject TO frequent and repeated colds,
| each attack aggravating the disease by Civ
| ing it Il new impulse and involving larger
extent OF surface than its predecessor. In
| this manner the difficulty spreads from or
gan to organ, invading the throat, larnyx,
| trachea and bronchial tubes, until, en-
crOaehing further and further, 1t reaches
| the finer ramifcations of the bronchi, when
but slight impulse is required to send it to
the lungs. Catarrh may, and often does,
those contain ng mucous membrane, such
| as the stomach, bowels, kidneys, etc.
BY the employment OF proper inhalatlons
in the form of medicated vapor mot steam
or spray we are able to produce immediate
and direct action upon the diseased surface
in the pharynX and nasal passages, for air
will find its way into the most remote and
intricate cavities. where it is utterly impos-
sible to make fluid applications. by these
means every case can be cured
Persons desiring treatment by this system
of practice can Use the remedy at home as
well as at our office, and which will cause
no Inconvenience or hindrance to business
whatever.
have seen so many of these cases cured
that do not consider any case hopeless un-
less the disease has advanced to the chest
and that both lungs are seriously involved
Even then the inhalations aid us in dis
solving the mucus and in contracting and
healing the cavities, which nothing else can
do with the same success. The very best
references from those already cured.